


We'll Figure It Out

by KikiJ



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Communication, Episode: s03e07-08 Second Citadel - The Lovers of the Fallen Tower, Fix it - Lovers of the Fallen Tower, Fix-It, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26956909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikiJ/pseuds/KikiJ
Summary: the Lovers of the Fallen Tower, but, different…Words are actually said, and plans are very loosely made. They agree to try, and figure it out.
Relationships: Lord Arum/Sir Damien/Rilla (Penumbra Podcast)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	We'll Figure It Out

**Author's Note:**

> I took many issues with the bouquet ep in s3 so I wrote something to fix-it, from my perspective, anyway. I’ve kind of fiddled with what happened, so this takes place with Rilla actually present and instead of trying to get across the bridge before it falls, she’s trying to stop the machine so the emotions and memories will stop being so intense, which should stop them from getting hurt by them. 
> 
> I probably should have re-listened to the ep, or read the transcript, to get a better sense of what I needed to “fix” but also it hurt me a lot and I didn’t want to. SO, if there are inaccuracies or things that seem off, oops? 
> 
> Arum is kind of a bastard here, but I don’t think he’s any worse than the canon (in fact I think he was worse in the canon but, just so you know, going in).

As the memory of the tower crumbled around them a second time, Rilla's breathing was heavy with panic.

Olala was ballooning and Damien and Arum were not speaking to one another, though Damien was trying to calm Olala down with some meditation of some sort.

At least one thing was working, Rilla thought. She kept plugging away at her own task.

As the scene restarted a few moments later, Rilla looked over to the memory of David and Pix, fighting about… something. It seemed kind of petty, in the moments Rilla let herself think about them. She turned back to the device she was working on. If she could only shut it off, they should be safe. If she couldn’t… well, they might just die here. She didn’t want to die, especially not with her relationship in shambles, so she needed to figure it out.

Unfortunately, it was hard to _think_ with the arguments going on behind her. She wasn’t sure when, but Arum had snapped at Damien and Damien had bitten back, despite himself, she was certain. Rilla's eyes darted back to Pix and David as David raised his voice and Pix's feathers ruffled, literally.

“Sir, I think that if you would talk to one another, maybe,” Olala was saying, taking in deep breaths as Damien had just been instructing to her.

“I do not wish to **talk** to him,” Arum was saying. Rilla bit her tongue.

“I _would_ talk to him, if he were not such a brute,” Damien was retorting.

Rilla’s breath caught in her throat. Pix shrieked something at David.

Then, Rilla gasped. It all came together, all at once, and it clicked. She almost shouted in happiness, but, she recognized that they weren’t quite out of the woods yet and that it may be crass to be happy right now.

“I understand,” Rilla said quietly, to herself, nodding firmly once. Then, she keyed something into the machine she was working on, and then slowly turned around to the human, monster, and half human half monster who were, all three, shouting at each other. “I UNDERSTAND,” Rilla raised her voice over them, even firmer. Three heads snapped towards her.

“First of all, I have figured out a way to settle the device, which will allow us get out of here before the heightened memories can kill us,” Rilla announced.

“That is wonderful, Lady Rilla,” “Finally,” “Oh, thank the Saints!” came the chorus of the other three. Rilla smiled, the expression cool and tight on her lips.

“However,” Rilla paused, fixing her eyes on the men before her, specifically, “I will not be letting us out of here. Not yet.”

“What?” her partners both yelled, while Olala said, pointedly, “Oh, Lady Rilla, I do not know if that’s a good idea..”

“I am not letting us leave,” Rilla repeated, “until I share my second discovery.”

“Please, my heart, do go on,” Damien said. Rilla did not miss how Arum’s eyes narrowed in Damien's direction. Rilla took a deep breath.

“I’ve figured it out,” Rilla said again, “this whole thing? Our problems?” she said, gesturing between herself and her lovers. “It isn’t about the inherent perils of Monster Human relationships, not at all,” Rilla stated firmly, emphasizing her last words. She watched Damien’s head tilt at the same time as Olala's, and heard Arum mutter ‘tch.’

“Oh, really?” Arum said, and she measured her breath. “What is it about, then?”

“It is about us,” Rilla said. Arum bared his teeth.

“So, you agree we are simply ill-suited, but you don’t think it’s because I'm a monster tktkt?” Next, Arum crossed his lower arms around his abdomen.

“Stop that,” Rilla said, a bit too quick, “do not put words into my mouth. I think we are _perfectly_ suited, and being a monster and two humans has nothing to do with it.”

“Rilla, my love,” Damien started, his hands reaching out as if to try and bring her close to him, but she was still standing a bit far for that. “What are you saying?”

“Arum,” Rilla said, turning to face him, “you have _got_ to tell us what’s wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Arum asked, his arms still tight to his body, “nothing is wrong, aside from the fact that you are willingly trying to kill us, you will not explain why, Amaryllis, tktktk.”

“Oh, Saint Damien, grant me your tranquility,” Damien muttered, and Arum shot him a look.

“Perhaps something is wrong, but I wouldn’t know! I might be able to think for a moment if not for _Damien’s_ incessant praying,” Arum said, and Rilla dug her nails into the palms of her hand.

“Please, stop doing that, Arum,” Rilla said, and both Arum and Damien looked back at her.

“Doing _what_?” Arum asked.

“You’re being so… hostile, towards him,” Rilla said, exasperated, as she gestured towards Damien.

“Oh Rilla, you needn’t worry about that, I can defend my own honor,” Damien said, at the same time Arum said, “Again, you pick his side!”

“I am not picking a side!” Rilla snapped. “This is _exactly_ what I mean, Arum! I don’t know what I did, or what Damien did, or what _ever_ , but you are always picking fights with us!” Rilla schooled herself, then. It was no use getting angry, she knew this. She wouldn’t claim to be _good_ at this sort of thing, of course, but she knew she needed tact. “I just need you to tell us what is _wrong,_ Arum.”

“There is nothing wrong!” Arum snapped, “it’s not as if you would care anyway, Amaryllis, you are always holed away with your _work_ , tktktk, in your own little world! What would it matter to you?”

Rilla bit down on her lip. So much for keeping composed, being tactful. “That hurts, Arum,” she said quietly. Damien frowned.

“Arum, I will take the things you say to me with a grain of salt but _please,_ don’t expect to speak to Rilla this way!” Damien held his breath, turning towards Arum.

Arum opened his mouth to retort, but Rilla cut him off. She couldn’t stop trying, even if it was hard. “It's okay, Damien. I know you mean well, but I am a big girl. Arum,” she started again, licking her lips. “I mean it when I say I care, and I am sorry for whatever I’ve done that makes you think that I don’t. But I am asking you, one more time, _please_ , for the **_real_ **answer here. What is _wrong_?” Rilla wiped furiously at one errant tear and Damien held himself back from going to her, his arms waving for just a moment between them before dropping to his side.

Arum tightened his arms around his front for just a moment before growling and throwing them out, and all but yelling, “You two are **neglecting** me,” he then took in a sharp breath, and lowered his voice somewhat, “I.. _feel_ like you are neglecting me.”

Rilla took a deep, steady breath, and nodded. “Good,” she said, and Arum balked. She winced at the hurt in his eye “N-not _good_ good, just.. Arum, we can- work with this!” Rilla took a step forward and gently reached for his hand. Arum let her take it, loosely, “If you are feeling neglected, we can _work_ on that. Together.”

“I… am sorry,” Damien said slowly, placing a hand on Arum’s shoulder. “I’ve had a lot on my mind, these past few weeks. I hadn’t realized… if I had known, you were feeling uncared for, unheld, Arum,” Damien sighed to himself. “My deepest apologies,” Damien said, voice as sincere as ever. Then, he tilted his head, and added, “I have not appreciated the way you’ve been approaching me, but I can see now you were feeling hurt, Arum. I’d like to… discuss this, further.”

Arum looked down at the ground, and then glanced over to Olala, who was watching the ordeal with curious eyes and holding onto a tail she'd created. She seemed a far cry less distressed than earlier, which was better than nothing.

“Arum,” Rilla said placing her other hand on top of his, “I’m sorry, too. I know I get swept up in my work, but I can work harder to strike a better balance. I care about you, I want you to be able to feel that.”

Arum nodded slowly, and muttered a quick “Thanks.” Then, he took a breath of his own. “I. Um. I also apologize. For the way I have been treating you…. You cannot read my mind, tktktk.”

Rilla nodded, “No, we cant. I can only really speak for myself, but I’m sure Damien and I can both agree, we need to work on making sure you feel cared for, and that we aren’t too busy with our own things,” Rilla said. Damien gave a little smile in agreement. Arum nodded as well, and Rilla continued, “All of us, together, will have to work on how we let each other _know_ when we are upset, or lacking love, though.”

“Right,” Arum muttered.

Rilla took another deep breath, shaky. “Okay.. Arum… is there anything else, for now?” He gave a look that indicated the answer was probably yes. “What is it? Please, Arum.”

“Must I say it?” Arum asked.

“Yes,” Rilla said, a little forceful. “And, again.. it's not about monsters versus humans, Arum, _all_ relationships need communication. I know I’m not the best at it myself, so I can’t, and I wont judge you, but.” She sighed, “You really need to try. You have to tell us, when something is bothering you, directly. Now is as good a time as any to practice.”

Arum just made a face.

“Please, try and speak your heart, my love,” Damien said, gently.

Arum regarded him carefully, and then huffed and looked away from all of them. David and Pix were making up, not that Arum had paid them any mind, at any point. “I _do_ feel like you two take each other’s sides! No, maybe it is not because you are human, but you…” he flicked his tongue, avoiding eye contact, “I don’t know okay? You know each other. You fit together in a way I’m not familiar with, yet- and it makes me feel… more neglected, still, I guess. There!” he huffed, and looked at them, finally. “Are you happy, Amaryllis?”

“Happy isn’t the word I would use,” Rilla said carefully. “I _am_ glad you told us. Now that we _know_ , we can talk about this, and find a solution,” Rilla said, voice taking on a soft and gentle tone, then she added, “can I kiss you, Arum?”

Arum nodded, and Rilla held his lower arms and pressed herself up, kissing Arum on the front of his face. Damien wrapped his arm around Arum’s, pressing his cheek to Arum's shoulder.

“I am very glad the three of you have decided to talk, after so long,” Olala piped up, and they looked towards her. “But, perhaps it is time to move this conversation to a place where we are not in danger?"

“Right,” Damien said, eyes going wide with fright for just a split second.

“Ah yes, I forgot you were risking our lives just to force me to open up, Amaryllis,” Arum said, eyes narrowing again.

“Is this something you’re upset with me for? It’s okay, if you are,” Rilla said. “I would like you to tell me, if it is.”

“Actually, tktktk,” Arum glanced away, “it is a little sweet.”

Rilla laughed, “Fair. We _aren’t_ in that much danger, though. I actually… set the machine to power down as soon as I figured out how, and it should have kicked in a couple minutes ago. It will be slowly shutting off until it’s fully disabled. Of course, I wouldn’t put it _past_ myself to force you to talk to us by, uh, threats of death, but… I _try_ to be more responsible than that. Science should be ethical, you know!”

“Oh, my Rilla,” Damien said with a little laugh. Once again, Rilla caught a pinched expression on Arum, and she decided to interrogate him about it _eventually,_ but she’d put him through enough for the time being.

“Still,” Arum said, “We should probably… go home.”

“I agree,” Rilla said, and she kissed him again, then Damien stood up to kiss Arum as well.

“I would like to leave this place as well,” Olala said as they parted ways, and Damien and Arum each took one of her hands.

“Of course… childling,” Arum said, and she smiled up at him.

And so, they went home.

Once they had Olala settled for the night, they continued to talk, and talk, putting as much of their hearts on the table as they could manage at the moment.

The talk was as difficult as it was fruitful, and they were all the better for it.

They each agreed; they would _try_. 


End file.
